ALBANY, N.Y. (CNS) – Families navigate their smartphones while doing everyday activities, so it’s no surprise that cellphones affect even church.

It has become common for parishes to place blurbs in their bulletins about silencing cellphones and for lectors to make announcements before liturgies, reminding parishioners they’re in a place of worship. In some places, Massgoers heed the notices.

At other parishes, ringtones, texting or even taking calls during liturgies can distract the presider and the people in the pews. Dorothy Sokol, parish life director at Our Lady of Grace, Ballston Lake, N.Y., notices phones ringing and worshippers texting at Mass, despite signs and announcements cautioning against it.

Some parishioners use a tablet or smartphone to follow the readings for Mass, and “there’s a place” for that, she said.

But she’s not sure how to handle teenagers texting at Mass.

“Do you give the teenager grief when the parents are sitting right next to them and not saying anything? … Unfortunately, asking, ‘What would Jesus do?’ isn’t a good question” – the Son of God never had a cellphone.